CD-ROMs have been widely used in multi-media apparatus for reading digitized information from an optic disk. The CD-ROM comprises a reader device which is movable toward/away from the optic disk in order to read the information therefrom. A conventional mechanism for moving the CD-ROM reader head is shown in FIG. 5 of the attached drawings, comprising a movable inner frame B on which a reader device A is fixed. The movable inner frame B is arranged in an outer frame C and pivotally supported thereby by means of pivots 1B extending from the inner frame B for being received in pivot holes 1C defined in the outer frame C. Each pivot 1B is retained in the corresponding pivot hole 1C by a bolt 2C. The inner frame B is movably coupled to a curved track member D. The curved track member D is movable in a horizontal direction by means of a motor E via gears 1D, 2D and converts the horizontal movement thereof into a vertical movement of the inner frame B thereby rotating the inner frame B about the pivots 1B. The reader device A that is supported on the inner frame B is moved between a working position (FIG. 7) where the reader head A is close to an optic disk (not labeled) for reading information therefrom and a standby position (FIG. 6) where the reader device A is moved away from the optic disk.
In the conventional CD-ROM, the inner frame B and the outer frame C are separate so that it requires an assembling step to assemble the inner frame B and the outer frame C together. This increases costs. Furthermore, it also requires a careful consideration of the assembling sequence among the inner frame B, the curved track member D and gears D1, D2. This complicates the manufacturing process.
In addition, plays or clearances caused by manufacturing tolerances may be present between the pivots 1B and the corresponding pivot holes 1C which may lead to vibration of the inner frame B during the operation of the CD-ROM and may even generate noise.
It is thus desirable to have a reader mechanism of a CD-ROM which overcomes the above problems.